The passenger side door on my 64 valiant is stuck shut and no matter how hard I pull on it it will not budge. Before I start taking the inside panel off I thought if anyone has had a similar problem they might steer me in the correct to direction in fixing it. The button does compress completely and it has been getting worse over time. Thanks for any replies..Mark..its a two door btw

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If only I had the time to do what I want to do instead of what I have to do!

This may not help at all but, my wifes 64 did the same to me one time.I sprayed the beejeezus out of it around the push button with triflow.Then lifted it up and pushed down....jiggled itI got our to pop out.I then took the panal off and made sure everything was lubed, and connected correctly.Good luck.
Andrew

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Wife's: 64 Valiant
My: 70 Road Runner, 67 Barracuda, AND the 62 Valiant drag car!!

what does the inside handle do? and does the button(outside) feel solid like it is activating, or it just pushes in easy?

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1964 Dart GT

Most likely one of the little clips that secure the rods connecting door handles to latch has gotten loose and allowed a rod to fall out of place. In other words the handle is no longer connected to the latch. Removal of the door panel is needed to access the latch. Worse case would be the latch that has self destructed and is bound up with broken bits disallowing its operation; if this the case it could be a real PIA.

Once you get inside the door a small pair of vice grips will be your friend, and your knuckles will thank you.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

The inside door handle seems to pull as normal but again doesn't budge the door. The button pushes in feeling normal. As it got worse while it was still working the button required being pushed in all the way and a bit more.

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If only I had the time to do what I want to do instead of what I have to do!

I once worked on a 68 Dart that belonged to a friend of mine that had a similar problem. The rear passenger side door was rarely opened and eventually stuck closed. Both the inside and outside handles/buttons felt as if they were engaging and I could hear the mechanism working in the door, but the door just wouldn't open. I got the door unstuck by having my brother stand on the outside and push the button down while pulling on the handle and I was on the inside and kicked the door. The door eventually popped open and we discovered that the actual latch mechanism on the side of the door was very very stuck and needed to be lubed. Once we lubricated the latch the door worked fine.

You may be able to pull the rear seat and work the plastic straw of a can of penetrating lubricant to the latch mechanism and spray it. Otherwise I think you will need to pull the interior door panel and lubricate the latch mechanism that way.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

What Reed said.

Myself, I would just pull the panel for easier access and be done with it.

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1964 Dart GT

Thanks for the advice. Since I really don't have anyone to push from the inside I will taking the door panel off. I need to do some other work in there anyway, lubricating etc for windows. Ill keep ya posted

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If only I had the time to do what I want to do instead of what I have to do!

I have had the latches go sticky on my 65s, such that the 'star wheel' (for lack of a proper term) doesn't want to turn. Even though the latch is disengaged by the handle, it still takes a healthy thump from inside to pop it open.

Also, the outside handle doesn't have a rod attached to it but the inside handle does.
The outside handle just has a small angled arm that pushes against a 'paddle' on the latch.
When the latch gets sticky, the little arm starts to bend with every push of the button; hence the button goes in farther each time until it doesn't work anymore.

The rod from the inside handle is a tension design so it doesn't bend.

So, keep trying from the inside!
And once you get it open/apart, don't forget to adjust that rod on the outside handle.

I think the outside handle design changed with the 67 model year.

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O==\=/==O

"A mechanic is Somebody."
- Jim Preston

Thanks for the advice guys. I actually ended up taping the end of a pry bar and popping the door open while I held the button in. Once I had it open I took off the panel and lubricated everything good. I also bent the tab that the rod pushes against and now the button works much better. Just took a long screw driver and whacked it with a hammer a few times. Everything works like a charm now...thanks again

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If only I had the time to do what I want to do instead of what I have to do!